In Your Eyes
by Rayne McKenna
Summary: Derek learns more about Spencer Reid than he'd ever bargained for when the team gets called to Phoenix on a case. But their new found bond may be cut short in wake of a terrible tragedy.


The karaoke bar isn't anywhere near the top of Reid's list of preferred hang outs. It's far too loud and even though he knew there wasn't any statistical proof to support his suspicions that this particular type of bar harbored more obnoxious drunk people than your average bar, no one could convince him otherwise. "Liquid courage" is what Garcia had referred to it as.

Making his way from the entrance of the bar to the table his teammates occupied in the back, he cringes as his ears are assaulted by a particularly tone deaf group of young ladies belting along to some chart topping pop song that has all of the appeal of nails on a chalk board. Yeah. You would have to be either extremely inebriated or purely delusional to equate what was coming out of the speakers with _music_.

"Hey, Boy Genius!" Garcia Calls out, flailing her arms wildly as if Reid could possibly miss her colorful, flamboyant attire amidst all of the trendy, dark fall fashions that filled the establishment. Still, he can't help but crack a small smile at her enthusiastic welcome. As he approaches he offers a wave to the friends that had already arrived.

"Check you out!" Prentiss whistles eying Spencer's ensemble.

He's wearing black slacks, a black button up dress shirt and tie topped off with a pinstripe, charcoal grey vest. The outfit at contrast with his messy, tussled, signature locks.

"You took long enough." JJ says with a wink as he slides into the large corner booth.

"Yeah, I had some errands to run." Reid replied not wanting to admit that he'd been trying to figure out what to wear. He was on a mission tonight and he needed all of the confidence he could get.

"I have to say Reid, that outfit is _seriously_ working for you sweet cheeks." Garcia observes with a sly grin. "Someone isn't going home alone tonight!" She adds, wiggling her brow.

And there it was. Garcia seems totally incapable of paying a compliment that isn't accompanied by a textbook example of sexual harassment. Not that it bothers him. He'd half hoped she was right.

"Where's everybody else?" Spencer asks scanning the bar.

"Awww, Spence, are you uncomfortable being alone at a table with three lovely ladies all to yourself?" JJ teases.

Spencer shifts slightly in his seat and adjusts his tie. The girls all exchange amused smirks in response to his apparent discomfort.

"Hotch managed to get Jack for the weekend and Rossi has a date with future ex-wife number four." JJ replies with a laugh. "His words, not mine."

"What about Morgan?" Reid asks hoping that the eager tone he sensed in his own question was just his imagination.

The girls smile looking in the direction of the bar. Spencer cranes his neck to get a clear view of what his female companions are so amused by. His heart sinks a bit as he captures a glimpse of Morgan laughing with another man at the bar, neither of them showing any regard for personal space. The man bats his eyes at Derek, playfully brushing his hand along the agents broad chest.

"He's not wasting any time." Emily notes eyebrows raised.

"Well, he may have only recently let us in on the fact that he's bisexual but it's nothing new to HIM." JJ points out.

"I suppose it's only fair." Garcia says dreamily, gawking at the two finely toned male specimens flirting. "That man is far too yummy not to be an equal opportunity sex God!"

"Excuse me." Reid says with a tight voice.

"Where ya goin' Spence?" JJ asks

Reid doesn't answer for fear that his voice might betray him. He heads straight to the restroom with his head down. Entering the men's room, he rushes to the sink bracing himself against the porcelain, hands shaking. He was dangerously close to a panic attack. Having avoided eye contact with the mirror he now dares a glimpse. His eyes are strange. Impossibly round. He looks terrified.

"Come ON Spencer. Just calm down." He says through clinched teeth. He squeezes his eyes shut. "It's now or never."

After a few moments he lets go, pushing off of the sink. He had few serious regrets in his life and he'd be damned if he was going to let this be one of them. He had to do this. For his own sanity sake if nothing else.

"Don't be a coward Reid." He whispers as if the words were a magic mantra.

He risks one more glance at the mirror. Yeah. He could do this.

Spencer takes the long way around toward the bar. If the girls weren't watching he certainly didn't want to draw attention. By the time he slinked his way through the crowd reaching his desired destination he frowns when he notices that Derek was no longer there. Scanning the bar once again he sees that he'd rejoined the ladies at their table. Damn. At least that other guy was gone. Spencer turns and orders a stronger drink.

Hunching over the bar waiting, trying to figure out the best way of getting Derek away from the women, he's suddenly brought out of his brooding state by a light tap on his shoulder. Turning his head, he sees a very attractive brunette woman smiling down at him. Sitting up straight he clears his throat.

"Hey. Paige." She says holding her hand out introducing herself.

"Spencer." He replies politely shaking while forcing a small smile.

Paige turns pressing her back against the bar, elbows propped on the edge, which conveniently causes her chest to practically thrust up into Spencer's face. He leans back as far as he can in the stool trying not to look annoyed. He wishes she would just go away. He just doesn't have the patience for it right now.

"I noticed you earlier when you walked in." She admits. "Truth be told, you're kind of hard to miss."

Spencer considers her for a moment with a sideways glance. But before he can decide on the best way to respond without sounding rude, she moves in closer running one finger seductively over his silk tie. Spencer is momentarily frozen. He doesn't like strangers invading his personal space and he could smell the stale mix of rum and cigarettes on her breath, which was honestly making him a little ill.

Derek is trying to coax the ladies into going up on stage when JJ catches sight of Reid at the bar, a pretty brunette standing suspiciously close to him. A big grin spreads across her face. It's not long before the others turn to see what has her attention.

"Oh my God. Tell me that's really Reid!" Garcia gasps in shock.

"I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it." Prentiss says her mouth hanging open.

Derek doesn't comment but watches the two at the bar interact. The woman pulls Reid's tie out and tugs at it playfully. Spencer gently pulls it out of her grasp and attempts to tuck it back into his vest. She then laughs and says something Derek can't quite make out and Reid shifts very awkwardly in his seat.

"Aw, that poor kid." He observes. "His body language is screaming not interested and that chick is just NOT getting the picture."

"I'll go bail him out." JJ declares getting to her feet.

"No." Derek says thoughtfully. "She's swaying slightly…she's drunk and obviously an aggressive personality. No, you would just pose as competition, a threat. I'll take care of this."

Derek moves across the bar swiftly as the ladies look on curiously.

As Morgan approaches the bar he can see Reid's whole demeanor changing. He was losing his cool. Sweet kid hates to be the bad guy. He knew the pain of rejection and never wanted to be the one dishing it. He has a heart as big as that brain of his. Derek sweeps up beside Spencer and the woman stops mid sentence acknowledging his arrival. Spencer was ready to crawl out of his skin when Derek threw an arm around his slender shoulders. They're eyes meet.

"Hey baby. Who's this?" Derek says resting his head affectionately against Reid's shoulder.

Spencer's annoyance is instantly replaced with confusion as his all too expressive eyes widen like a deer caught in headlights.

"I'm Paige." She said flatly. "Spencer and I were just in the middle of a conversation." She spit out very matter-of-factly.

Boy, this one was either extremely tenacious or a complete idiot. He felt a fire grow in his gut as she held his stare, challenging him. Derek didn't like this woman. Not one bit. He knew how to shut her down quick and diffuse the situation. So, without a second thought, he spins Spencer toward him, catching his face in his hands. Reid's lips part in surprise and Derek takes full advantage, molesting the young agent's mouth with his own.

The woman's jaw drops as she looks on incredulous. After a few moments she spins around nearly colliding with a waitress before staggering away fuming. Derek's plan is a success, his friend was in the clear, but the soft, full lips he was ravaging were so sensual and inviting he couldn't pull away at first. Suddenly he was very aware of distant cheering as their co-workers apparently took great delight in what was transpiring.

Pulling away slowly, Derek opened his eyes half expecting Reid to go postal, but his friend appeared to be catatonic. His eyes remained closed, his swollen lips slightly parted. Just when Morgan thought he might have to slap him out of it Reid's eyes fluttered open revealing in them something Derek couldn't quite define.

When the phone clipped to his belt went off Derek realized two things. One, he might have just crossed a very dangerous line and Two, he needed to BREATHE! Breaking eye contact with Spencer he spins, exhales and answers his phone in one fluid movement. Spencer's phone goes off just as their fellow teammates rush in their direction. So much for their weekend off. As the ladies pass between them Penelope locks arms with Derek and grinning, says "Walk with me."

Time seemed to speed up and before they knew it they were back at the office they'd just escaped a few short hours before. Phoenix was in trouble. There was a staggering rise in violent crime and authorities believed it to be drug related. They had already brought down seven suspects high on PCP. The most troubling part was that these people had appeared to be upstanding, middle to upper-class citizens with clean records, no known prior drug history. After coming down, not one of the offenders they'd had in custody could really recall what they had been accused of doing let alone admitting to knowingly abusing a narcotic. The police had exhausted all leads with no real luck in finding any other obvious ties to the victims or the offenders. The team briefly discusses case details, possible suspects, and motives.

"Wheels up in ten." Hotch says.

Everyone gets up and scatters. Reid is the last one out of the room. He lingers in the doorway to the conference room watching everyone scatter.

"Hey Spence. You alright?" JJ asks

"Yeah." Reid replies "Just tired."

JJ studies his face for a moment pursing her lips together.

"Are you sure it doesn't have anything to do with what happened between you and Morgan at the bar?" JJ pries.

Spencer can feel his eyes grow large and his pulse rate quicken. He looks around quickly to make sure no one was listening.

"JJ, can we not broadcast this to the whole office?" He whispers, embarrassment warming his face.

"Spence, most of us were THERE. Besides, it's not a big deal. So, you two kissed to scare off some girl that wouldn't take no for an answer. No reason to get your boxers in a twist." She said

Spencer nervously averts his eyes.

"Is there?" JJ adds questioningly.

Slender body going rigid, the young agent opens his mouth to protest her line of questioning then lets it fall shut once again, unsure of what to say. JJ's eyes pry with a raise of her brow.

"Of course not. It's nothing. Forget it." He finally answers walking away to retrieve his go bag.

The jet was unusually quiet. Everyone seemed lost in their own thoughts. Spencer tried to focus on the file in his lap to no avail. He finally closes it, slumps down in his seat and stares out the window.

Derek risked a look in Reid's direction. He'd been the last one on board, opting to sit alone, which he only seemed to do when he needed to brood. Derek replayed what happened in the bar. The look he'd seen in his teammates eyes haunted him. He wasn't sure he knew what to make of it. He knew assumptions were dangerous but he couldn't forget the way Reid had kissed him back with more enthusiasm than he'd suspected was necessary to send the determined woman packing. And then that look. Derek felt his body tighten at the memory of those soft, eager lips and agile tongue. He shook his head gently. What was he doing?

Garcia had insisted they drive back together, assaulting him with questions and teasing him relentlessly the whole way. He'd simply stood by his claim that he had just been trying to help his friend out.

"Out of his pants maybe." She'd teased.

He'd refused to admit to her the possibility that he had acted partly on his own curious, selfish behalf. He couldn't help recalling a night in Miami a year ago when, due to heavy tourism, the team members had been forced to share rooms. He and Reid had been paired up. The last night there he had mistakenly thought that his roomie had been down at the hotel bar with everyone else. He'd returned to the room looking forward to a hot shower. Grabbing spare clothes he'd swung the bathroom door open only to be greeted with the full frontal image of Reid drying himself off.

"Derek!" His friend had cried out in horrified shock.

"Oh God, Reid…"

He had averted his eyes and begun backing out of the bathroom.

"I'm so sorry. I thought you were down stairs!"

Shutting the door he'd backed away from it quickly meeting the opposite wall with a small thud. Even thought he had apologized profusely when his companion had finally emerged, he still couldn't sleep. The image of his teammates slender, lithe form had kept appearing in his minds eye. As disturbing as the persistence of the image was, it hadn't been half as disturbing as the way it made him feel.

No. He couldn't admit to his best friend that he had seen an opportunity in that bar and seized upon it any easier than he could admit that it was that night in Miami that he'd realized he was bisexual.

Now, watching Reid's solemn expression as he gazes out the window at the night sky beyond, he faces something else. His feelings for the younger agent reach far beyond friendship or simple attraction. He was hooked. He watches as his teammate slowly lays his head back against the seat and closes his eyes. He admires his full lips, the razor sharp line of his jaw, his long, slender neck. He is so beautiful that Derek feels a rush of emotion catch in his throat. What the hell am I doing? He thinks to himself. This was extremely dangerous ground he was treading. Then, stealing one last look at the object of his desires he decides he doesn't care.

Arriving at the sheriff's office they are greeted warmly, which is always a nice change of pace. The shit had really hit the fan in the last week. They'd received countless reports of vandalism, assault, rape and were investigating a dozen murders. One man they had in custody was found in the bathroom of his upscale suburban home screaming uncontrollably, covered in blood with a gun to his head. He had beaten his wife to death and shot his two children.

The lead detective brings in a file filled with reports on everything they had suspected, or had undisputable proof, was linked to the PCP.

"We haven't caught all of the perps, but anything that came with a report of behavior associated with the drug was included."

"And you haven't come up with any possible links between the victims or the offenders?" Hotch asks clarifying what little information they had received back in Quantico.

"No." The detective replies. "We've gotten the same story from everyone we interrogated. Not one of them admitted using, and few of them had any real memory of committing a crime. We decided to look into the possibility of poisoning by gathering all the information on everywhere they had been prior to exposure. We couldn't find a common link between any one of them."

"Okay. Let's get started." Hotch says

He delegates responsibilities to everyone on the team. Spencer is relieved when he winds up being left to work alone. He just wants to lose himself in the case. Having anyone around right now would be an unwelcome distraction.

Reid studies the crime scene photos of the assaults and murders. Brutal. So much rage. Some victims were male, some female, some adults, some children. He couldn't recognize an immediate pattern, and didn't suspect that there would be. Victimology wouldn't be much help in this case. He collected the photos and put them aside, deciding that if there were any answers to be found in the information they had, it would lie with the perpetrators. He opened the first file scanning the report.

Well into working out all relevant facts on the white board, provided to him in the small conference room, he is fairly certain that the people in custody had in fact been poisoned. But despite his assessment, he can still find nothing unmissed by the detectives as far as hangouts, banks, stores, restaurants, gyms, jobs, services, hobbies, habits, friends, family, packages, mail received or any other obvious connections went. He leans back in his chair thinking for a moment. Just as he pulls out his phone to call Garcia, Hotch enters.

"Calling it a night Reid. We've hit a wall for now. Everyone needs a few hours if we expect to get anywhere on this." Hotch says from under his signature scowl.

"Okay." Spencer says after a pause. "I'll be right behind you guys. I just want to call Garcia."

"Did you find something? A pattern?" Hotch asks hopeful.

"No. Nothing so far. I was just going to give her some suggestions on other, less obvious avenues to search. You know, thinking outside the box." Spencer replied opening his phone.

"Don't bother Reid." He says. "She's already gone home for the night. Call her first thing tomorrow." Hotch advises.

"Oh. Alright. Well, maybe by then I'll have more for her." He offers.

They all gather their things and head for the hotel.

Everyone mumbles goodnight to each other as they shuffle into their rooms. After dropping his things off in his room, Spencer makes sure he has his wallet and key and heads back out. He needed to get a snack. He remembered a convenience store across the way when they'd pulled in. He exits the lobby out into the cool October night. He was thankful that if there had to be trouble brewing in Phoenix, that it had happened during the cooler months. He was not a fan of the heat.

Morgan was pacing in the small walk space of his room. His thoughts were all over the place. He wished he could just go to sleep and escape the relentless pounding in his chest. Why did this have to be happening now? He considered that thought and realized that in their line of work there was never really a "good" time for an emotional breakdown. Honey-brown eyes…soft, full lips…full frontal view…

"Stop!" He scolds himself "What is your DEAL Derek?"

He sits on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands. It was always so easy with everyone else. He was a very confident man that never had any trouble going for what he wanted. He'd always been a smooth operator that enjoyed casual relationships and a personal life as free from complications as possible.

He thought for a few minutes and suspected that he was so confident in the past because it never really mattered that much. This was different. He was totally confused because not one aspect of this situation was applicable to any of his previous experiences. Aside from the fact that this was a man, one that knew him exceptionally well, one that he had history with, he knew that none of his usual courting techniques would really apply. He couldn't just buy him a drink and turn on the charm, flash a debonair smile and go back to his place where he would sneak out before dawn. And he didn't want to. THAT in itself was wiggin' him out more than anything. He knew it could never be just a casual thing. This was Spencer! Derek doubted that casual was even in his extensive vocabulary. And what about our jobs?

"Enough!" Derek chastises himself "You don't even know if he's really interested. You can make assumptions and jump to conclusions all you like Morgan, but at the end of the day nobody really knows what's going on in that kids head."

Giving his little inner monologue some thought, he realizes that if he doesn't just walk over there and find out for himself where he stands and what Spencer WAS actually thinking, he was going to go bat shit insane. He stands up slightly relieved by his new resolve and then promptly sits back down.

"What the hell do you even SAY to a guy like Spencer Reid?" He ponders aloud.

After a moment, his resolve fading, he decides it's now or never. He crosses the short distance to the door and rips it open before he can chicken out. The hallway is empty, to which he's grateful. He marches right up to Reid's door and raises his hand in a knocking fashion and…abruptly chickens out. He tries again but a cold hesitation grips him. He drops his hand and his head feeling defeated. Ashamed.

"Something wrong?"

Spencer's sudden inquiry causes Derek to jump and reel around, stifling a scream. Cool Derek. Real cool.

Spencer was holding a plastic bag in his hand. Derek guessed he'd hit the store across the way. He moved his attention from the bag up to the genius's quizzical expression. He almost wanted to laugh. He loved how expressive his face was. He couldn't resist the memory of Spencer's face when he had swung him around in that chair….

"Morgan?" Reid asks waiting.

"Um, can we talk?" Morgan asks quickly.

Reid's new expression confuses Morgan. He watches as various emotions seem to play across his features too quickly for him to read.

"Uh, I guess. Yeah, I have a few minutes I suppose." Reid replies.

Morgan stands, hands on hips, waiting expectantly to be invited in. When Spencer just stands there looking at him, he realizes that he hadn't specified.

"In private?" Morgan adds, rubbing at an arched eyebrow uncomfortably.

"Oh." Reid fumbles for his room key and fails to turn the handle in time on the first try. On the second try he drops the key. Derek bends down to retrieve it. Instead of handing it over he swipes it himself, holding the door for Spencer.

Entering the room, the taller man crosses the small space and sets his bag on the table. Absent minded, and innocent enough, as he turns around he works his long fingers through his tie loosening the knot. Derek watches as he pulls the tie up over his head and tosses it onto the bed. Smoothing his tousled hair behind his ears, Spencer becomes aware of the intense gaze he's receiving from his guest. Knees suddenly feeling weak, he sits on the foot of the bed and peers up at Derek waiting for him to say whatever it was he'd come to say.

Morgan isn't sure where to begin. HOW to begin. With anyone else this would be easy. He felt like he was back in high school again. He notices Reid shift his attention to his own hands, which he had folded carefully in his lap. Say something! Anything! He wishes he were as good with words as Spencer was. Derek is a man of action not prose. Then it occurs to him that he'd just answered his own question. Taking a step forward, he reaches down and places two fingers under Spencer's chin, lifting his face to meet his own. Despite a small jump of initial surprise from the unfamiliar gesture, Spencer complies, meeting Derek's dark eyes.

The look in the younger man's honey colored gaze causes his breath to catch. He moves his hand from chin to angular cheek. Gently, tenderly, he smoothes his fingers over the exquisitely chiseled feature. Pushing a few rogue tendrils of hair back, Derek notices his fellow FBI agent's eyes are now closed under a slightly furrowed brow. He isn't sure if this was a good thing. Was he traumatized or basking in the contact? When the younger man makes no attempt to move or speak, Derek runs his gaze appreciatively over each of Spencer's features resting at last on his lips. Unable to help himself he runs his thumb over them, still amazed at how soft they are. When they part slightly, Morgan feels an unmistakable aching in his groin.

Bending down close, he presses his mouth against his friends. Intending to quench his need with a simple kiss, not wanting to push his luck or Spencer's threshold for one evening, Derek once again finds it difficult to pull away. Trying to muster the strength to pull back, he's shocked to feel the bee sting lips open against his invitingly. The implications of this gesture are so profound that Derek can no longer suppress his instincts. He moves his hand to the back of the younger man's neck pulling him closer as he accepts the invitation eagerly, pushing his tongue into Reid's mouth. The sensation derived from this act alone is enough to send him over the edge, but when he registers the low, soft moan that escapes from Spencer he comes unglued.

Derek pushes Spencer back against the bed, careful to hold his body weight up off of him by propping himself up on his strong arms. He wants nothing more than to have full contact, but he doesn't want to ruin this by being too aggressive. The kiss deepens as Spencer matches the older mans passion, working his tongue with surprising skill. It occurs to Morgan then, that he doesn't know the extent of Reid's sexual history. As far as he knew no one did either. Hell, as far as he was aware there wasn't one. Derek is shocked out of his thoughts by something he didn't expect. The man beneath him grabs his hips, encouraging Morgan to close the distance. More than willing to oblige, Morgan lowers his body against him, eliciting another moan as their erections rub together.

It was too much. Derek couldn't hold back anymore. Wouldn't. He grinds his hard on against Spencer's to which he responds by breaking the kiss, head flying back into the bed, a loud groan exploding from his sensual mouth. Morgan attacks the exposed neck, kissing, licking, nipping, sucking. The younger agent's raspy breathing increases with every touch. Risking going too far, Derek slides his hand between them rubbing the surprisingly large bulge in Reid's pants.

"Oh God…" Spencer breathes.

Hearing those words prompts Morgan to go a step further. He slides his hand up and tugs Reid's belt open. As he works the button of the slacks, he looks up to make sure his advances are welcome. What he sees makes him wish he had a camera. Spencer meets his eyes with a hungry look that makes Derek's head spin. Refusing to look away from that beautiful expression he fumbles blindly with the zipper as the younger man licks his lips in anticipation. Reaching inside, Morgan finds what he's been aching for. He wraps his hand firmly around his prize administering several long, slow strokes.

"Mnnnnnnah!" Spencer cries as his back arches up off the bed.

Beautiful. Derek just stares at him as he continues to stroke, refusing to miss one second of this amazing display. Reid begins to squirm, body writhing, hands grasping at the bed sheets, gasping, moaning, hips bucking… then, just when Morgan doesn't think it can get any better, it does.

"Derek! Oh…Fuck!"

Derek's jaw drops as he witnesses three things he never thought he would. Spencer Reid screaming his name in ecstasy, Spencer Reid being reduced to the use of foul language, and Spencer Reid erupting all over his hand.

Derek Morgan had certainly been around. Seen a lot. But what was happening in this room tonight was so surreal, so earth shattering, that he swore he couldn't possibly ever be more surprised by anything so much as by what he'd just seen. No sooner did the thought cross his mind then he stood corrected.

He watches in stunned amazement as the reserved, timid Dr. Spencer Reid, geek extraordinaire, personification of awkwardness sits up pushing Derek down on the mattress, brutally attacking his mouth. His hands explore all the right places in all the right ways. He didn't even sense any hesitation from the good doctor when he practically tore Morgan's pants open working those long, nimble fingers over his raging hard on, as Derek hissed and moaned, breathless, trying to make it last.

Spencer watches him intently biting his lower lip. Then something mischievous passes through his eyes. Suddenly, he stops stroking and repositions himself above Derek's waist. With a deviously sexy smile, he dips down licking the full length of his shaft from base to tip sending Morgan spiriling.

"Holy shit!"

He watches in stunned amazement as Spencer wraps his gorgeous, talented lips around his cock taking it all the way to the hilt. He was doing things with his tongue that didn't seem possible. Between that seemingly magic mouth and the view, it doesn't take long for Derek to reach the point of no return. The orgasm that rocks him is so strong that everything else just falls away. Suddenly he's aware of a hand pressed against his mouth. Opening his eyes he sees Reid hovering over him smiling the most delectable smile Morgan had ever seen.

"Mmmph?" Derek mumbles with a raised brow.

"Oh. Sorry."

Spencer removes his hand and lays down beside Derek.

"Why the hand?"

"You were screaming."

"What? No I wasn't."

"Oh, yes you were."

Derek had apparently lost time. Ah yes, it was all coming back to him now.

"My God, Where did you learn to do that Spencer?"

"I read." Spencer replies with a smirk.

Derek Laughs whole heartedly at this claim, turning his head to look at his friend. Former friend. Lover. What were they now?

"What is this?" Derek asks

Spencer at first looks confused by the question, seemingly caught off guard by the drastic contrast of what had just happened, and what was so quickly being asked of him to define. He turns to face Derek not sure what he should say. Hmmm. Curious. He was THE man about town, cautious never to get tied down. But here he was, searching Spencer's eyes with what looked like hope for something more. Still, he decided to take the safe route.

"What do you want it to be?"

Derek had never considered that he would be the one initiating this conversation with someone…EVER…Lord knows he'd made a career out of avoiding it, but here he was NEEDING to know. Almost desperate. Reid had surprised him into a stupefied state more than once in the last hour, so he didn't dare guess at what he wanted his answer to be. He decided that so many steps had already been taken tonight, unexplored territory conqured, impossibilities turned to reality…fuck it. He was going with it.

"Exclusive." Morgan answers.

Spencer stares at him for a long moment and sits up, his back to Derek.

Shit. Was that the wrong answer? Damn. No. It wasn't. It's the honest one. It's how he feels. What he wants. Derek sits up feeling exposed. He wished for a fleeting moment that he could take it back. Then, reminds himself that he did the right thing. This wasn't like anything he'd ever felt or experienced before, and he didn't want it to be. It was special. So why wouldn't he turn around? Say something? Explain himself…

"Spencer?"

No answer. Not good.

"Spencer? Are you alright?"

"Can we just go to sleep?" The younger man asks quietly.

Shit.

"Talk to me pretty boy."

There is a long silence and the tension is getting thick. Almost unbearable. Reid finally turns to face Morgan with serious, gleaming eyes.

"I just don't think we should define this yet. Don't misunderstand me. I'm not confused about my feelings and I'm not trying to question yours. But, I would feel more comfortable if we gave this the time to evolve naturally, into whatever it's meant to be. Why slap a label on it? Why rob it of the possibility of becoming something more than what we've come to expect from some old preconceived notion of what a relationship should be? Considering the possible ramifications involved in this thing going south and the statistical likelihood, I feel that we owe it to our future happiness to not put any added pressure on…"

Derek puts a finger to the rambling man's lips.

"Spencer?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you like me?"

"Yeah. A lot actually."

"Well. Alright then."

It was good enough for now. Spencer lay back on the bed stretching out.

"That's my cue." Derek says, getting to his feet.

"Don't go."

"We should get some sleep."

"Sleep here."

"What about the rest of the team?"

"What about them?"

"Hey, you're the one that has a thing with labels. I just figure you wouldn't be ready to let the team in on it just yet." Derek explains.

"Too late."

"What?"

"They already know."

"Why? Because of the bar thing?"

Spencer props himself up on his elbows.

"Derek, we work with profilers."

"So?"

"So it doesn't take a profiler to hear your bellowing coming from my room, and not come to the logical conclusion that either A, We're both being slaughtered in here, or B, Hey, Derek Morgan is getting some stellar head over there! And since they didn't rush over here in fear for our limbs, I'm assuming it's the latter."

Derek looks shocked and unblinking from Spencer, to the wall, and back to Spencer. He lets out a big sigh and crawls into bed. After a minute he takes Reid's hand interlocking their fingers. He looks over and sees that his eyes are closed.

"Smartass." Morgan quietly accuses.

Reid's eyes remain closed. Unflinching.

"Doesn't change the fact that I give great head." He says in retort.

Derek smiles to himself. He was hoping that what he'd deduced earlier from the incessant rambling, was nothing more than residual fear of abandonment. Even if it was exacerbated by Morgan's reputation. That, he knew they could work on over time. But if he really just didn't want to hurt him by rejecting him all together, then that was a different story. He didn't take Reid for the type to engage willingly in a one night stand period, let alone with a co-worker, but after the side he'd seen of him tonight he might have to reassess that deduction. He decided to go with his gut, which was in agreement with his heart. Reid was just scared. But so was he.

As Spencer slips slowly toward much needed sleep, he can't ignore the nagging fear in the back of his mind. He didn't want to push Derek away. That wasn't his intention. He just feared how damaging it would be to finally open up fully to someone, in a way he'd never done, just to have them leave again. He had loved Gideon and even his father, but as much as their leave from him had taken its toll, he imagined it wouldn't compare to losing a lover. He finally decided to follow his own advice. Even if it had been a bunch of hot air. Hope that what evolves is a secure connection. One that will aid in healing old wounds and quelling lingering doubts. In the meantime he would have to work on being more positive.

The next morning Spencer wakes to a panicked sounding Derek.

"Sonofa…! Reid!"

"Mmmmm?"

"We forgot to request a wakeup call or set the damn alarm!"

Spencer squints up at the clock "Relax. We don't meet for an hour yet."

"I know, but I wanted to be up earlier so I wouldn't risk running into anyone."

He knew what Morgan meant but that statement still stung the genius a little. Sitting up in bed, he watched the agitated agent searching for his phone and grabbing for his shoes not bothering to put them on.

He slipped out of bed and padded toward the bathroom.

"Hey Spencer…" Morgan says before he can shut the door.

Turning back to face his flustered partner, he's met with an outburst of sudden laughter. Looking over at the mirror, he sees how disheveled he looks. Derek studies him fondly before pulling him in for a short, yet sensual kiss. With one last caress to his cheek, Morgan moves to make his exit.

"Brush your teeth!" He says wrinkling his nose.

"Right back at ya." Spencer waves.

Morgan pulls the door open slowly, peering carefully out into the hall. Giving himself the all clear, he rushes to his door, key at the ready. Managing to slip in undetected, he takes a brief shower and dresses quickly. He takes special care with his tooth brushing. Once he was ready to head out, he patted himself down being sure that he had everything. He was missing one very important thing that he had every intention of "grabbing" in a few short minutes.

Rushing back across the hall, he knocks on the door. Morgan stands in awe as a shirtless Reid answers the door, hair wet and dripping down his torso. Letting Derek in, he hurries back to the bed where he'd laid out his clothes haphazardly. As he shoulders into a fresh button up, he's assaulted by the older agents mouth. God it felt good. So good. Hands exploring new bare flesh as tongues entwine.

Morgan's phone rings. Shit. It was Prentiss. He answers.

"Yeah Prentiss? – Yeah. – I am. – I can tell him. I'm on my way out right now anyway. – Sure thing. – See ya in a few."

By the time he could get Emily off the phone, Spencer had gotten the idea that they were being beckoned and was already tying his tie. Damn. Derek watched in amusement as the endlessly intriguing man before him pulls on mismatched socks before slipping into his loafers. Derek takes in the full view of the man as he fills pockets and clips his gun and phone in place. Who would have ever thought that sweater vests could be sexy?

"What did Prentiss say?

"They're meeting down stairs for breakfast."

"Ah. Well, are you ready then?"

"Just about." Morgan answers, closing the distance.

He brushes the damp locks tenderly from his teammates face. They look into each others eyes for a long moment before their lips meet once more. When they found themselves edging toward the bed, hips grinding mindlessly, Reid pulls back a bit breathless.

"They're waiting."

"I know." Derek growls longingly. "My room tonight?" He asks hopefully

"Absolutely."

As the two men arrived downstairs they were a little nervous. Al joking aside, they really weren't sure how thick the walls were in that place, and had decided it was better if nobody knew just yet if they could help it. Locating the rest of the team, they were greeted with a collective 'good morning'. Relieved to find that the topic of interest was the case, and not the apparent wrestling match that had gone on in Spencer's room last night, they settled in and ordered.

"Reid, did you call Garcia yet?" Hotch inquires

"Uh, no. I will as soon as I get to the station."

"Do you know what you're looking for?"

"Not exactly. I'm convinced it's not random though. That the connection we're looking for lies with the perpetrators. When Phoenix P.D. investigated, their search was limited. Garcia might have more luck launching a search with their names collectively, versus individually. It might take awhile but it's really just figuring out the right place to look." Reid explains.

"Good." Hotch replies. "We've worked up a profile based on the poisoning theory that we'll be delivering first thing."

As their food came the conversation was light. Mostly about needing a real vacation and where they wanted to go.

"I promised Jack I would take him to Disneyland this summer." Hotch says

"Mickey ears would be an excellent look for you Hotch." Rossi says

Everyone laughs.

"Hotch in the happiest place on earth? I think I would pay to see that." Morgan says "Be sure to leave your gun at home."

"First chance I get I'm heading to Italy." Prentiss says.

"I've always wanted to go to Australia." JJ says

"Do you realize that six out of ten of the worlds most poisonous snakes reside in Australia? " Spencer states

JJ just looks at him with a scowl. His eyes drop to his plate.

"But hey, I hear the surfing is great." He adds quickly

"Fine. Where would you go?" She asks

"Nowhere." He says "I just want to sleep."

"You not get enough sleep last night?" Rossi asks with a raised brow.

Everyone looks at him.

"Uh, no. I mean yes. I just meant that we travel enough. I think home would be a great vacation." Reid says, eyes on his food.

"I wanna take my rig up camping." Morgan says quickly, trying to take the heat off Reid.

"Wow. I haven't been camping in years." Rossi says

"Me either." JJ adds

"Maybe we should plan a camping trip one weekend. Get out of the city. Might be fun." Morgan offers.

Everyone considers the idea with various levels of approval except Reid.

"Whaddya think pretty boy?" Morgan asks?

"I think I'm busy that weekend." Spencer replies.

"Reid, have you ever even BEEN camping?" JJ asks.

"No."

"Oh my God." Prentiss says disbelieving. "What kind of childhood did you have?"

"We'll take you then. Everyone should experience the great outdoors at least once in their lives." Morgan says, a little peeved at Prentiss's comment.

"That's alright. I'll pass." Spencer says, sipping his coffee.

"Oh come on Reid. Live a little. We'll protect you from the big, bad bears." Morgan teases.

"I think Reid would be about as out of place in the wilderness as Hotch would be in Disneyland." Rossi says.

"We'll break him down." JJ says confidently with a wink.

"We could always tie him to the luggage rack." Prentiss offers.

Hotch's phone rings. There was another murder. Back to work.

The mood at the precinct was a somber one. The latest murder left them with nothing but more names to add to the list. The offender, Jake Hadley, had been a single white male in his early 40's. He was playing pool with friends at a local bar when they reported that he started acting funny. When his behavior became erratic and aggressive, his friends had tried to calm him down. The owner had come over to ask them to leave and Jake pushed him violently. A fight broke out. Mr. Hadley broke a bottle over the owners head, and stuck the broken neck of it into the mans throat. When one of his friends tried to subdue him, Jake Hadley had beaten him nearly to death before turning on a local man who pulled a concealed weapon, shooting him five times before he went down.

What was happening?

The team delivered their profile and went their separate ways checking out any possible leads. Nothing was irrelevant or dismissed at this point. Spencer just hoped that he and Garcia could find SOMETHING. ANYTHING. Reid dialed called her.

"Yes baby Einstein, what can I do for his braininess?" She asked with a chipper tone.

"I need you to check out a list of names. We need to find any link they may possibly share."

"Ready when you are." Garcia says

Spencer reads off the list of offenders to her and waits as she enters them in.

"Nothing." She says.

Spencer sits back for a moment thinking. What were they missing?

Morgan and Prentiss were going to check out the scene of the latest crime. It didn't make sense. The crimes were all over the map. Although the majority of them seemed to be centered in Phoenix, there were some in various other cities. All in Maricopa County. And that was a large area to cover.

"Do you think we're on the right track?" Prentiss asks as they drive.

"I think Reid is right. The connection lies with the offenders." Morgan says.

"I just wish we knew why." Prentiss sighs.

"We'll figure it out." He says reassuringly.

"I wonder if the drug of choice is significant, or if it was just available."

"Nothing is insignificant at this point." Morgan says.

"Nothing." Garcia says again

Spencer gets up and walks to the white board. Their profile had one big hole. The why. They had to figure out what was significant to the unsub. They knew people were being drugged, and that the drug itself was significant. But it was only a piece of the big picture. Assuming that the offenders were the real targets, and that it wasn't about the victims or possibly the specific crimes themselves, then why? If he had a grudge against these people, what was he trying to accomplish? Was it just about destroying their lives? Was it about brining them down to his level? Did he feel like he had no control and he wanted them to feel his helplessness? Then why PCP? He couldn't ignore the importance of the method that had been chosen to remove that control…

"Garcia, forget the names I gave you. Run a search on arrests in Maricopa County related to PCP."

"Can you narrow that down?" She asks

"Start with the last year." Reid suggests

"Still a big list." She sighs

"Try any that resulted in murder." He said.

"So, Have you and Reid talked about what happened at the bar the other night?" Prentiss asks with a smirk.

Morgan wasn't sure how to answer that. He half wanted to just say 'Yeah, then our little braniac gave me an anatomy lesson in his room last night.' But he knew that wasn't an option right now.

"Nah, we haven't discussed it." Derek said.

"Not that I'm complaining, but was it really necessary to make out with him?"

"What? That drunk woman wouldn't take a hint." He said defensively

"So you're saying that you were just trying to be a good friend. You didn't enjoy it one bit." She pried.

"Exactly." He said simply.

"So then when she walked away and you kept on keepin' on…"

"What are you getting at Emily?" Derek interrupts.

"Just, I know that you go both ways, and to be honest, we've all questioned Reid's orientation from time to time, and well, he seemed a little too okay with what was happening. I don't have a problem with it. I was just asking because it's a pairing I never would have considered. Even if it was hot as hell." She laughs.

"Yeah, well, maybe YOU enjoyed it a little too much." Derek retorts with a smirk.

Emily considers him for a moment, not oblivious of the evasive non-answer answer.

"Don't break his heart." She says finally.

Morgan looks ahead not knowing how to respond. He decides not to. Luckily they were at the scene.

"Okay, so you have three names of guys serving life in prison. How does that help you connect these people?" Garcia asks.

Spencer doesn't answer. He's reading.

"Spencer?" She asks.

"Check the original list of names I gave you in the judicial system." He says finally.

"We did. None of them have records." She reminds him.

"No. I need to know if any of them were selected for jury duty for any of the trials." Reid replies.

Everyone had been called back to the station. Reid and Garcia had found their link. All of the offenders had been on the jury when 25 year old Peter Johnsten, had been sentenced to life after killing two people while under the influence of PCP. The defense had tried to play on the juries sympathies by arguing that Johnsten had been at the Salt River rafting one weekend when he was offered what he thought was some harmless weed. In the spirit of good fun he had accepted, not knowing that it was laced. The jury had still found him guilty.

The team worked on a list of possible leads. People with close connections to Johnsten.

"Prentiss, go with detective Michaels to question the parents. Morgan, take Reid to the brothers place. Rossi, you come with me to pay a visit to the girlfriend." Hotch says.

They all snapped into action.

Spencer was looking over Johnsten's case when he became aware that Derek was watching him at the stoplight.

"What?" he asks.

"You're brilliant." Morgan answers.

"And you're just learning this now?" Reid says with a smile.

"Just part of your appeal. One more reason to love you." Morgan says absentmindedly as the light changes.

Love? That word rang in Spencer's ears. He wasn't sure if he should read into it and figured that even if he decided to that now was not the time.

"Maybe we can crack this thing and get back to Virginia by tomorrow night." Derek said hopefully. "I have a hot date."

"Oh yeah? Anyone I know?" Spencer asks.

"Just some amazing guy I met awhile back."

"Lucky guy. I hope he's good enough for you." Spencer says.

"Oh no question. He's everything I've ever wanted and more." Morgan declares. "Besides, I hear he gives stellar head."

Derek laughs as Spencer shoots him a blushing smile.

"Well, as long as your priorities are in order." Spencer says.

They ride in silence for a while, Morgan concentrating on the roads and Reid on the case file. When they pull up to the home of Corbit Johnsten, Derek cuts the engine and turns to look at Spencer. When the younger agent meets his eyes he feels a rush of warm emotion. He slips his hand into the slender mans hair and pulls him closer for a kiss. God, this kid has the most amazing mouth. He could do this forever. They finally pull back a bit. Derek knows that they have work to do and that he agreed to give this thing time, but he decides he needs to say something.

"Spencer, I want to tell you something before we go up there. Something I left out when I told the team about my…orientation." Derek says

"What is it?"

"That night in Miami. When I walked in on you in the bathroom…"

Spencer's cheeks reddened at the memory. He'd been so embarrassed.

"That was when I realized I was bisexual." Derek confessed.

Spencer sat in stunned silence searching Morgan's eyes, marveling at the importance the admission carried. He'd had no idea. Wouldn't have guessed that Derek had seen him in that light for this long. Suddenly all of the signs were there. Memories flooding back over the last year. Tell tale signs that, at the time, he'd been completely oblivious of.

"I didn't just figure out that feelings were there last night. I've felt them for a long time now." Derek continues. "I just wasn't sure that you would reciprocate and I didn't want to hurt the relationship we did have over it. Hell, when I came out to the team it was mostly in hopes that if you did, by some slim chance, feel anything…that I was giving you an open. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you so you had all of the facts." Derek finishes.

Spencer just sits there blinking. Processing. Finally, he smiles.

"That night, if you'd have come in two minutes earlier, you would have caught more of a show." He informed Derek.

"Yeah, you IN the bath." Morgan said dreamily "Don't think I didn't consider that."

"Try me in the bath…pleasuring myself…thinking of you." He reveals, blushing once more.

It's Derek's turn to sit in stunned silence.

"How long have you felt this way?" He finally asks

"Three years, two months, five days…" He consults his watch. "Seven minutes, 32 seconds. Approximately." Spencer answers.

Derek kisses him again. Hard. Passionate. Suddenly they hear a door slam. Looking up, they see Corbit Johnsten exiting the house.

"To be continued." Derek says breathlessly.

They scramble out of the SUV and head up the drive.

"Corbit Johnsten?" Morgan calls. "We're agents Morgan and Reid with the FBI…"

The man runs back into the house. Shit. Here we go.

Guns drawn, Spencer and Derek run to the front door. Locked. Stepping back, Derek does what he does best as the door implodes, splintered shards raining in its wake. Guns thrust out before them, they cautiously enter the front room.

"Mr Johnsten!" Morgan yells. "We just wanna talk!"

Splitting up, they quickly sweep from room to room. Spencer pushes open a door off the back of the house. The window must have been covered because no sunlight entered. He tries the switch. Nothing. He hears a rustle. Listens intently. Maybe it was in his head. He was, after all, afraid of the dark. Eyes adjusting, he takes another step inside the room. There is something to his right. By the time he registers it, he's on the floor gripping his leg in nothing short of agony, as a dark figure sprints from the room. A moment later the back door swings shut.

"Morgan! He went out the back!" Spencer screams

Derek comes running and sees Spencer on the floor.

"Reid! You okay?" He asks

"Yeah. He's getting away!"

Morgan bursts out the patio door. He runs to the low back wall in time to see Corbit disappear into a large industrial building in the distance. He clears the wall with ease, sprinting after the suspect.

Reid gets up. He tries to stand on the injured leg. Aside from a now dull and throbbing pain, he didn't assume there was a fracture. As he limps out the back onto the patio, he sees Derek running toward a building in the distance. Heading toward the wall, he pulls out his phone.

Hotch picks up on the third ring.

"Yeah Reid?"

"Morgan and I need back up!"

Derek reaches the building and slips inside, gun at the ready, eyes trying to adjust to the poorly lit interior. Before he can fully tune his senses into the new environment, he's attacked from behind. He tries to shake the man clinging to his back. There's a sudden pain in his neck as he's stuck with something sharp. Crying out, he falls back stunned. The assailant rips his gun from his hand and brings it up to fire. Derek kicks out his knee and the man squeezes the trigger as he goes down screaming, gun flying. The bullet lodges into the wall just three feet from Derek's head. As he bears down on his target, his head starts spinning, heart pounding, vision struggling to focus. He registers a glint of metal and jumps back as Corbit slashes at him twice with a knife. Derek stumbles backward loosing his footing briefly. What the hell had that guy stuck him with? Shaking his head to clear the fog, he realizes that Corbit was on the move. Derek's heart threatened to burst as he lunged forward in pursuit.

As they headed toward the back of the building, Derek could feel the blood boiling in his veins. There was a rage building in him that was irrational and all consuming. Gaining ground, he was almost on top of Corbit. He felt like he'd entered a dream. More like a nightmare. Like he was outside observing himself.

Suddenly, something inside Morgan snaps. He closes the distance between he and Corbit in three long strides tackling him to the ground. Derek's head is on fire. His thoughts are unclear, his body seeming to work independently of his mind as if on some deranged autopilot setting. He was losing control. Corbit slashes Derek's arm. Unaffected, he grabs a hold of Mr. Johnsten's skull bashing it against the cold concrete, taking the fight right out of him.

Reid finally reaches the building. It felt like an eternity since he'd heard the gunshot. Time had seemed to slow down to a crawl. He enters the building slowly, letting his eyes adjust. He holds his breath listening and hears a distant, indefinable sound. Moving in the direction of the noise he feels something roll under his foot. He looks down but can't make it out. Eyes scanning the murk, he bends down and picks up what he discovers to be a syringe. Tossing it aside, he continues toward the unknown sound at the back of the building.

After a minute of eerie silence, Spencer freezes once more listening. The sound comes again. Then again. A strange, and continuous thumping. He squints at his watch. The team is about ten minutes out. Reid knows protocol. He knows he should wait for backup. He remembers his promise to Hotch. But this was Derek. Fuck protocol. Sorry Hotch. He continues to track the sound. It isn't far now. As he comes to a large doorway on the left, he sweeps in low, scanning swiftly, keeping his ever-hopeful eyes peeled for any sign of Morgan.

Moving farther into the dim room, he can hear that the original sound he'd heard before had changed. It was softer now with a new quality that made Spencer's stomach turn. That's when he sees the apparent source. His heart leaps in his chest as he recognizes Derek kneeling on the ground. But when he opens his mouth to call out to him, he sees all the blood. SMELLS it. Spencer gags silently when he moves closer, realizing that the thudding is Corbit Johnsten's head being pulverized into the concrete, now reduced to little more than hamburger meat.

Jesus.

Reid isn't altogether sure how to handle this. Derek's entire demeanor is strange. The way his head is cocked as he rocks slightly, seeming to study the bloody mass in his hands with an almost child-like wonder. The way he stops, his muscled back tensing visibly even in that dim light, sends chills down Spencer's spine. Standing suddenly, Derek screams at the top of his lungs. Spencer winces at the unexpected outburst as it tears through the silent room. Tears through his core. It's then that he flashes back to the discarded syringe. Shit. He wants to speak but he knows instinctively, that if his assumption is correct, that this isn't exactly a 'talk him down with reason' sort of situation.

Reid cringes at the level of violence done at Derek's hands. Hands he'd always known to be strong but extremely tender. Hands now coated in blood to the elbows.

He realizes quickly that he is running out of time and options. He can't fully assess the potential threat to his own life just yet, but he knows that if his teammate is in fact suffering a severe state of delusion as result of a dangerous narcotic, that words were nearly useless. He knows if this goes south, that he couldn't fight Morgan off physically and it occurs to him that if it comes down to the gun in his hand he wasn't confident he could pull the trigger.

Spencer's mind races with increased frustration and growing panic. He loves his job. But there were times when he questioned weather he belonged on the team. This was one of those times. He may be socially awkward and introverted, certainly not as openly affectionate as most of his co-workers, but when it came to them he knew he was weak. Especially where Derek is concerned. He feels helpless. Out of his element. Useless.

He knows now in his gut that this can't end well. And as Derek turns, seeing him for the first time, Spencer's feelings are confirmed. No recognition. No trace of the man he knew looked back at him. He was in there somewhere, but Reid wasn't sure how to reach him. Morgan starts toward him. Here we go.

"Morgan." Reid says as calmly as he can muster.

The larger agent keeps coming.

"Stop."

Spencer raises the gun.

"Stop!"

Morgan keeps coming.

Spencer aims to the right squeezing off a shot, the bullet punching Derek's left shoulder. The man doesn't even flinch. Reid takes aim again. No. He can't. He could only hope that the team got there soon enough. He drops his arm and braces himself for what was coming.

The first hit threatens to take him off his feet, but after stumbling briefly, Spencer manages to stay vertical. Before he can shake it off, however, another blow comes propelling him backward. Morgan grabs the front of his shirt and holds fast, delivering one vicious assault after another.

Spencer drops to the floor as Morgan releases his shirt moving away from him. He falls to one side, his skull splitting. Reaching up he assess the damage. Bloody nose, check. Split lip, check. Painful swelling, check. As he struggles to his feet, he looks up to discover that whatever had drawn his assailant away was no longer of as much interest as he was. He was coming back. As he drew closer, Spencer knew he had to try and stall. Raising his hands defensively, he takes a few small steps forward and calls out.

"Morgan! It's _me_! _Reid_!"

Morgan raises his fist once more.

"Derek! It's Spencer!"

Morgan stops, body tensing, his eyes narrow as his mind visibly twists in a whirlwind of confusion and rage. It was hard to watch him. This man he had always trusted with his very life. The one that he'd surrendered his heart to so long ago. And now Spencer feared him. Morgan's head lowers as he brings the clenched fist to his temple, squeezing his eyes shut tightly, a strangled cry escaping through gritted teeth.

"Derek?" Reid says, the single, shaky word barely audible even to him.

Suddenly Morgan is quiet. His body goes slack, hand dropping to his side. Head still hanging, his hooded eyes slowly lift and rest on Spencer's. Everything is unnaturally silent for a long moment. Registering the look in the agents dark eyes, he realizes too late that this is merely the calm before the storm. With seemingly inhuman speed and force, Derek is on him. Strong hand wrapping around slender throat even as he slams Spencer hard against the wall with such violent force he doesn't know if the wind has been knocked out of him or if his windpipe has been crushed. Before he can even attempt to draw in a stunned breath, Derek produces a knife from his side. Spencer hadn't even seen it until now…and now it didn't matter.

"Der-…" Before Spencer could squeeze out the last indiscernible syllable, Morgan buries the knife deep into Spencer's abdomen. Blazing white heat flares from his stomach as he chokes on his words, trying to cry out but nothing comes. The world begins to shift. His disbelieving eyes float up meeting Derek's. A wicked smile contorts those once soft features as he pulls the knife out of Spencer only to plunge it into him once more.

Spencer is sinking. He struggles for precious air that wont come. As waves of darkness wash across the shore of consciousness, he hears a loud crash and what sounds like voices calling from somewhere in the abyss. Fighting against the black tide that threatens to pull him away from this world, he forces himself to find his way back. Something tightens around his hand, brushes against his battered face. Muffled sounds float around him as he wills his eyes to open. A hazy figure hovers over him. He strains to see more clearly.

"Reid! Reid, stay with me!"

"Emily?" His voice is unrecognizable even to himself. Wet, raspy, weak.

"Hurry! He's losing a lot of blood!"

"Derek…" Spencer whispers

Emily is holding his hand and pressing down on his stomach. The pain is gone, replaced now with a cold queasiness. He tries to speak, but only chokes and sputters as a coppery fluid fills his mouth. Something warm trickles down the side of his face as he gasps desperately for every ragged breath.

"Oh God, Reid!" Emily whips her head toward an unseen party. "Where the fuck is the medic? Emily screams "Reid, hold on. Hold on! Help is coming…"

He meets her terrified eyes. He sees her face darken as he tries to speak succeeding only in producing a horrible gurgling sound. More blurry faces come into view, urgent voices that seemed to be so far away…then the stars. They descend in alarming numbers, cascading down around him, gathering in whispering pools. He floats away.

The tall trees sway gently in the wind creating a sound akin to ocean waves. The air is cool, and as the sun begins to set in the west, it lends a soft orange halo to everything it touches. It had been a long time since things had felt right. Nobody had known how to deal with the devastating events that had occurred only a short year ago. Though it may as well have been a lifetime ago. Now, standing in the fresh mountain air, it all felt like a distant dream. As twilight emerges and the smell of the fire drifts through the grounds, they could almost believe that they had been transported out of the cruel reality they faced everyday and into a magic place where none of the horrors they'd known existed.

"Can you hand me that bag?" Prentiss asks reaching out.

"This one?" JJ clarifies.

"Yeah." Prentiss confirms.

"I gots more wood!" a little voice calls.

They all look over in time to see Jack running toward camp with Hotch struggling to keep up. They laugh at the sight.

"Here Dave!" Jack says, offering his findings to Rossi.

"Thank you!" Rossi replies, taking the sticks from Jacks arms.

"Hey, has anyone seen my i-pod?" Garcia asks, poking her head out of one of the tents.

"No!" They all call in unison.

"You know Penelope, the whole point of camping is to escape the shackles of modern day technology." Rossi points out.

"Give her a break Rossi. It might seem like technology to you, but for Garcia it's kind of like the patch." Prentiss cracks.

"I'm surprised she didn't drive one of the surveillance vans up here." Hotch teases.

"I heard that!" Garcia yells. "Yatzee!" She exclaims emerging from the tent. "Found it!"

Hotch finishes stacking the wood he'd collected with Jack when the little boy gazes up studying the darkening sky.

"What's that one daddy?" Jack asks, as he looks up at the emerging stars.

"I'm not sure." Hotch replies, squinting up at the cluster of twinkling lights.

"Uncle Spencer would know." Jack says quietly.

Hotch says nothing but smiles at his son.

Just then a scream breaks the silence to the East. As the group collectively turn their heads in response, they stare wide eyed as a figure comes tearing through the trees, a second following in close pursuit.

"Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!"

"Relax! It was just a sunk Spencer!" Derek calls to the man flailing about the campsite.

"It came after me Derek! It probably has rabies!" Spencer yells with an edge of hysteria in his voice and an expression that sends the whole group into a fit of laughter.

"It's okay uncle Spencer." Jack says hugging him. "I'll protect you."

This makes everyone laugh harder.

"Great, now he'll probably hold it the rest of the trip." JJ jokes

"Careful Reid, there's nothing a sunk loves more than a warm sleeping bag." Rossi warns with a straight face.

Spencer's facial reaction elicits yet more laughter from the team.

"Awww…Okay, okay everyone." Derek says, putting a protective arm around Spencer. "Enough already."

They all settle around the fire as Jack and Spencer try smoores for the first time. They avoid all talk of work and bad memories past. This trip was about leaving it all behind. A renewal of sorts. They laugh all night until the fire finally dies down, reduced to no more than smoldering embers. Reluctantly turning in, they retire to their respective tents.

Spencer was pleased to find that the only thing that waited in his sleeping bag was Derek.

"Hey pretty boy." Derek says, as Spencer snuggles down into the bag. "It's after midnight. Happy anniversary." He says

Spencer smiles. And what a beautiful smile it was.

Derek's breath catches as Spencer's hand slides up over his chest coming to rest over the deep scar from that fateful day. Derek struggled every day to burry the initial months that had followed the case in Phoenix. He didn't remember much of the day itself but finding out what he had done, that Spencer had died twice before they were able to repair the damage he'd inflicted, watching him lay there struggling to heal after everything he'd already been through…it had been too much. He'd spiraled and had to spend some time in a hospital.

When Spencer had been released, he'd come to see Derek who hadn't been able to speak. Just sob. Spencer had held him and talked him through it. He'd signed him out and taken him home to stay with him. The weeks that had followed had been so hard. They had locked themselves away, determined. Eventually, the scars faded and they were able to salvage some semblance of the lives they'd lived before. Together, they had managed to move on.

When Spencer feels him tense he looks into his eyes once more. Nothing in them give Derek reason to look away. There is only love, admiration, devotion and acceptance. He pushes Derek back gently and hovers over him for a long moment. Lowering his mouth to Derek's, they share a long, slow, passionate kiss. Pulling apart, Derek looks at him with tears welling in his dark eyes.

"I love you so much." He says.

THE END.


End file.
